I. Prenatal preparation with Aniball

The  Aniball  medical  aid  should  be  used  beginning  with  the  37th  week  of  pregnancy. Exercise  for  approximately  15  –  30  minutes  during  each  session.  However,  this  time  is meant as being indicative, as each woman needs her own individual amount of time for proper relaxation, so exercise can take longer. At the beginning of the exercise, take the position  that  suits  you  best  (lying  down  on  your  back  with  slightly  kneeling  knees,  in a kneel, lying on the side, standing, croaking …). Childbirth in the position in which your body feels most comfortable is usually the safest.


What Aniball consists of

  1. inflatable balloon made of medical silicone
  2. mechanical pump
  3. hose
  4. connecting reduction
  5. two-way valve




Introducing the balloon

Take the position you chose according to the previous paragraph. Stay calm and relaxed. Even during the exercise, try to stay relaxed, without feeling spasms in your neck, arms and hands or buttocks. The ability to stay calm and relaxed (not only during the this pre- paratory exercise, but also during actual delivery) will positively affect the whole process.

The silicone balloon can be inflated for 1 – 2 strokes to give it some resistance. It is also possible  to  insert  the  balloon  completely  deflated.  For  comfortable  and  safe  installation, it is recommended to moisten the surface of the balloon only using water based lubricants intended for internal use (see Operating Instructions). Now grab the balloon behind  the  plastic  neck,  bring  it  with  forward  with

larger  rounded  part  and  push  it  into the vagina.

If the balloon is already securely inserted inside the vagina and it does not cause pain or other unpleasant feelings, you can begin to inflate it. A pump with a valve at the end of the tubing is provided for inflation. During inflation, the volume of the balloon increases and the pressure inside the vagina increases (this pressure is triggered by the motion of the balloon against the vaginal wall, stretching the surrounding muscles). You will also experience a very similar pressure during childbirth. How much inflation is needed is, again, very  individual.  In  the  first  exercise,  however,  it  should  be  moderate  and  perhaps  be  a maximum of 5 pumps (this including the pumps you performed before insertion). During further exercise, you can increase the number of pumps, but always with great care to your own body and never through pain. Whenever your balloon size looks too big and unpleasant, you can deflate the balloon with the valve to reduce its volume.


Guidelines for exercise

Remain in the position that you selected for the exercise.

  1. Conscious control over movement

During  the  first  exercise,  learn  to  control  the  balloon’s  movements  inside  your  vagina. This  needs  a  dose  of  conscious  effort  and  focus  on  your  body.  The  balloon  can,  depending on the activity of your pelvic floor muscles, move within the vagina, either out or inwards. If the pelvic floor muscles are actively withdrawn, the balloon sits deeper, but if you manage to relax these muscles consciously, the balloon will have the opportunity to move closer to the vaginal entrance. Training the controlled movement out of the vagina will be required to prepare for the upcoming delivery.

You can now test this conscious effort. Try to pull the balloons out with the pelvic floor muscles and feel its movement (it should now move inwards deep into the vagina). Then release  with  a  touch  of  muscles  (see  how  the  balloon  moves  out  of  the  vagina).  It  is important  to  get  control  over  these  movements  and  realize  that  only  the  relaxed  pelvic muscles allow the balloon (as well as the baby) to move downward through the delivery paths. The purpose of this exercise is not to expel the balloon completely out of the vagi- na. Complete the procedure to pull the balloon and move it down ten times.


  1. Ejection of the balloon

Release  again  and  move  gradually  to  expel  the  balloon  itself.  Take  advantage  of  what you have learned in the previous exercise. Relax the muscles of your pelvic floor and feel the balloon come out of the body without forcing it out. The goal of the exercise is to expel the balloon only through proper breathing (more precisely breathing in) and conscious relaxation of the pelvic muscles.

When  exhaling,  try  to  keep  the  balloon  in  the  position  it  was  after  the  insertion  phase and  do  not  pull  it  back  into  the  vagina.  With  another  touch,  release  your  pelvic  floor and move the balloon again a little lower. Now you will expel the balloon in a controlled manner, until the vaginal opening is gradually tightened and the balloon can be pulled out. The  balloon  should  not  slip  out  of  the  vagina  too  quickly,  so  keep  it  in  place  by holding the plastic neck (same as you do during insertion). Rapid expulsion indicates a loss of control and could result in injury. Even your baby will be held during the actual delivery, so feel free to hold Aniball.

The pressure you create during the entire ejection process should only come from the pelvic floor area, not your head. Tensioning of the neck, shoulders, hands, as well as contracting the abdomen and contracting the buttocks is not desirable, and indicates an inappropriate function of the pelvic floor muscles during the ejection process. In such a case, it is very good that you started practicing and gained the opportunity to prepare for your birth.


  1. Expansion of the balloon

You  started  practicing  after  the  36th  week  of  pregnancy,  and  you  are  approaching  the date of your delivery with each passing day. It is therefore advisable to gradually get used to practicing with a larger balloon circumference that should be close to the size of your child’s head. However, be careful! There is no need to increase the size of the balloon at any cost. If you are worried about the balloon being too large or you do not feel good about it and you are comfortable with the current smaller size, do not force yourself into increasing balloon size. Even having control over balloon movements inside the vagina  and  physically  preparing  your  body  for  the  future  passage  of  the  baby  is a success, and you can be satisfied with your preparation. The expulsion of a balloon too big can bring great pain or even the possibility of injury to the surrounding tissues. In any case, there is no reason to increase the balloon at all costs. We recommend that you will always practice with a size that is both tolerable and relatively pleasant for your body and for your psyche. Do not expose your body to pain and injury. Do not compare with other mothers who may have a wholly different pregnancy. Each of us is unique and our bodies can respond differently or have different levels of hormones necessary for the childbirth.


You  can  use  the  enclosed  meter  to  check  the  size  of  the  balloon  circuit.  However,  as stated above, numbers are not your goal! The goal is to be a healthy, calm and ready mother who can control the pelvic floor to ensure easier passage for the child with minimal injury to her own body.